Cinema 4D Tutorials: Introduction

In this first episode of intro to Cinema 4D Tutorials, you’ll learn about the main features of the user interface. The topics that will be covered are the most frequently used tools and modes, viewports and navigation, render buttons, modeling tools, object, attribute, layers, material managers, content sensitive help menu, content browser, and multi-document workflow.

Tools and Modes

Learn the difference between the model and object modes. In this section I will cover the basic functions of the texture, workplane, point, edge, and polygon modes as well. 

Viewports and Navigation

Learn 3 different methods for navigating the viewports. Use the icons in the top right corner of the viewport, the option key or the 1, 2, or 3 keys on the keyboard. Learn to configure your viewport, adjust the display settings, and control the arrangement of your workspace.  

Render Buttons

Learn the different methods for rendering your 3D scene. The functions covered are render to currently active view, render to the picture viewer, and interactive render region. The render settings tab will allow you to specify output size, a save path, enable multi-pass rendering, and add effects.

Modeling Tools

The basic functions and locations of the parametric objects, splines, NURBS, modeling tools, deformers, and lights will be covered.

Material Manager

Use the material manager to create new materials. Double click a material to control it’s attributes such as color, reflection, and transparency.

Layers

Use the layer manager to organize your scene and control the visibility of your objects in the viewport and renderer.

Content Sensitive Help Menu

Right click on any object in Cinema 4D and select ‘Show help’ for an explanation of what the tool does and how to use it.

Content Browser

Open the content browser to use ready-made models, textures, and cameras with your scene.

Multi-document Workflow

Use the multi-document workflow to easily copy/paste models from one scene to another.

I hope you enjoy this first episode of intro to Cinema 4D tutorials. If you have any questions about any specific features, insights that you would like to share, or tutorials you like to see created, please leave a comment below.